In recent years,
technological innovation in the field of communications has placed
increasing demands on radio spectrum. In the area of
telecommunications, new services have been launched, such as 3G
mobile communications and wireless broadband Internet access, while
digital broadcasting has ushered in a new range of services such as
high definition television. Meanwhile, existing demands in the form
of traditional broadcasting, mobile voice services, public safety
services and defense have also grown, placing an increased strain on
the finite amount of radio spectrum available.

Looking
towards the future, the development and distribution of new wireless
products and services will accelerate, driven by consumer demand for
ubiquitous access to communications and information. Together with
an increased demand for radio spectrum, boundaries between new
services will also grow increasingly blur, departing from
established industry categorizations and rigid regulatory
definitions. This will inevitably make radio spectrum management
more difficult and less predictable.

With growing
demands being placed on radio spectrum both nationally and
internationally together with the increasing difficulty of managing
spectrum within current regulatory frameworks, it has become
increasingly important for countries and international organizations
engaged in spectrum management and harmonization to ensure that they
possess the necessary facilities and expertise to efficiently and
effectively manage this finite resource in the public interest.

Workshop

In
conjunction with the Radiocommunications Bureau (BR), a New
Initiatives workshop on the subject of "Radio Spectrum
Management for a Converging World". The workshop was
held at ITU Headquarters, Geneva from 16 to 18 February 2004 (see Agenda). Participation
was by invitation only. For more
information on the workshop please contact spectrum@itu.int.